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Braithwaite Cognitive Ecology Lab

Our research is aimed at understanding the nature of the interaction between ecology and cognition.

In a changing environment, learning and memory are essential for an
animal's survival and reproduction. In this way, animal cognition can be
considered to underpin much of behavior and behavioral ecology.

Our research is aimed at understanding the nature of the interaction
between ecology and cognition. By combining information concerning an
animal's sensory and neural capabilities with information about its
evolution and its environment we can gain a much better understanding of
how and why animals vary in their cognitive abilities and their
behavior.

From an applied perspective, we can borrow ideas from this approach
to investigate animal welfare questions. For example, to determine
whether an animal has a capacity to suffer, or to establish the ability
for captively reared animals to survive once reintroduced into natural
environments.